Lansing’s WLNS has entered into a partnership with a local newspaper–a move that has become increasingly common among TV stations across the country.
WLNS, a CBS-affiliate serving central Michigan, announced this week that it has launched a partnership with the Jackson Citizen Patriot, which will give WLNS greater resources in covering the Jackson area. Jackson is the second largest city in WLNS’s market behind Lansing.
“The Cit Pat does an excellent job, and we’re proud to partner with them,” said Jam Sardar, news director at WLNS (channel 6). “Now 6 News will give the people of greater Jackson the quality TV coverage they’ve always deserved.”
As part of the agreement, WLNS reporter Abby Grimmett will have a desk within the Citizen Patriot newsroom and serve as the stations’ Jackson bureau. The arrangement is similar to one recently launched by WTNH, in which the New Haven ABC-affiliate opened a bureau in the newsroom of the Connecticut Post.
In addition to the new Jackson bureau, WLNS will share video reports with the newspaper and the two media entities will promote each other’s stories.
“I think what it says to people is that this is a new world, where the media–instead of being competitors–we’re partnering for the good of our audience,” said Citizen Patriot publisher Sandy Petykiewicz.
Grimmett joined WLNS in November 2010 and has been covering the Jackson area for the station. This one goes out to her: